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ROBERT LLOYD STEADMAN

• MM 1958, WM 1967 Orphan's Hope
• DDGM, Quincy 26, 1977-1978
• Deputy Grand Master 1997

BIOGRAPHY

SPEECHES

FEAST OF ST. JOHN, DECEMBER 1990

From Proceedings, Page 1990-175:

Most Worshipful Grand Master, Grand Officers, Distinguished Guests and Brethren All:

An introduction like that makes me think of an introduction between Masons that is one of my favorite stories. It goes back some number of years to Brother Chauncey DePew who was a member of Courtland Lodge 34, Peekskill, New York, and a United States senator from the great state of New York and an outstanding orator and public speaker, one of the finest of his generation. I'm sure many of you have had occasion to read some of his outstanding speeches.

On the occasion of introducing a Brother Mason, Brother William Howard Taft, 26th President of the United States, who was a member of Kilowanic Lodge in Cincinnati, proceeded to introduce his good friend and brother, President Taft, in the most glowing and in the most eloquent terms to the great pleasure of the President of the United States. And then he ended with these words. "It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the President of the United States, President William Howard Taft." Now history will recall that President Taft was a giant of men with an enormous belt size. DePew could not resist himself as President Taft started that long trek towards the speaker's platform, and DePew remarked, "The president is obviously pregnant with integrity." Taft, being the type of man he was, continued slowly to the platform, and DePew looked down and again he couldn't withhold himself, DePew remarked, "The president is obviously pregnant with sincerity." Taft then reached the speaker platform and accepted that introduction with the following remarks: "I thank the learned senator from the State of New York for his kind remarks, and I promise that if I am pregnant and I have a son I will call him integrity. If I am pregnant and have a daughter, I will call her sincerity. If, however, it's nothing more than gas, as I suspect it is, I will call it Senator Chauncey DePew."

I love some of these Masonic anecdotes. Here's one about Alice Roosevelt Longworth. She was the daughter of the president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. You recall that the President Roosevelt was a member of Matcook Lodge. I think it's in Long Island, New York. She had a husband, Nicholas Longworth, who was a Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and he, too, was blessed with a wonderful sense of humor, as most Masons are. Perhaps his most crushing rejoinder was directed at a presumptuous, young, upstart Congressman who passed his hands over Longworth's bald head and remarked "Feels just like my wife's bare bottom." Longworth passed his hand over his own head and said thoughtfully, "By golly, it does."

Those were two Masonic anecdotes. There's one more I can't resist. Arthur Sharp will probably get mad at me for saying this, but, incidentally, during the course of my presentation I will be discussing some of the great work that Right Worshipful Arthur Sharp has done on the subject matter that I hope to discuss. But all of these stories, as you know, are based on truth.

Arthur is now an outstanding yachtsman. Some time ago, when he was a relative newcomer to the yachting community, he decided to cruise downeast and experience the adventures offered by the fogbound coast of Maine. I had been boating off the Maine coast for over twenty years, and I admired his courage. I had left Turn Harbor Marina in Weymouthport the first week in August and worked my way up north to East Harbor where we spent a week with my wife and family on board. I knew Arthur was heading down, but I had no idea where he was. 1 couldn't raise him on the radio which is not unusual. When I went up there the weather was extraordinary.

When I left East Harbor on August 20th I proceeded under the worst of weather conditions, and after an eight-hour cruise with radar and loran, without seeing another boat on the water including lobstermen, nor a seagull on the wing, I finally arrived at my destination.

I learned later on the same day that Arthur had headed south from Camden in that abysmal fog, but he did not have radar. I had no idea of his destination. Again I tried to raise him on the radio without success. I worried until we finally did make radio contact, and he assured me that he was alright, indeed he was on his last leg into the harbor. He said the Maine fog was no challenge to him and his trusty compass and his trustee loran and his superior helmsmanship and that he had conquered the worst that the Maine coast had to offer. He had, he informed me, with mathematical certainty charted a meticulous course to his predetermined destination.

As I sat at the dock on my boat I suddenly saw a shadow break through that pea soup fog and, indeed, it was The Sharp One, that was the name of his boat, on a course right to the marina. Now to get into this port one had to navigate with absolute certainty. This required a skilled sailor. I was surprised but delighted that someone new to the coast and without radar had managed that outstanding feat.

I saw Arthur at the wheel and he smiled as you would expect as he approached the dock. I eyed him and he recognized me and he smiled and said, "God is good and my navigation is superb. It's great to have reached Portsmouth Harbor right on schedule." I replied, "Arthur, God indeed is good and your navigation is superb, but I regret to inform you that this is not Portsmouth Harbor. This is Boothbay Harbor, Maine."

One of our four cardinal virtues is justice. We are taught in our Lodges that justice is that standard or boundary of right which enables us to render unto persons his or her just due without distinction. We're admonished this is consistent with design, and human law is the very cement and support of our civil society. Just due means that which is owing, that which is payable, that which is unsatisfied, and that which is outstanding.

As a Chief Justice of the Superior Court, the great and historic trial court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I bear a responsibility for the quality of justice to all members of this society, regardless of race, creed, religion or ethnic origin. My commitment to justice and my affection for the Fraternity has led me to make inquiry well beyond my level of expertise into the realm of Masonic philosophy.

Now the exploration I propose is whether we as Masons are discharging our responsibility to the Fraternity, and as a natural extension of that inquiry, whether the Masonic institution is discharging its avowed responsibility to the society in which we live.

I claim absolutely no scholarly right to speak on this or any other Masonic subject, and, of course, I do not dare speak for our cherished institution. I am, however, with purity of motive and, perhaps as usual, with more courage than wisdom, at liberty to stimulate your concern, if I can, to generate your interest, if I may, and activate your curiosity regarding our duty to the uninitiated. I am motivated to discuss this sensitive and controversial issue with you because of persuasive evidence developed by Right Worshipful Arthur Harry Sharp, a Past Deputy Grand Master of this Grand Lodge, in his series of articles in The Northern Light. I'm sure most of you have been exposed to those articles. If not, you just ask me and I'll see you get a copy.

You need only read this learned treatise with an open mind to conclude, as he does, that Masonry has experienced what has been described as a severe decline in membership, manifested by shortages of line offices and in some cases the closing or consolidation of Lodges throughout the country. The avoidable conclusion is that men are less motivated to join our Fraternity now than they were earlier in our history. While the great loss is theirs, in failing to take advantage of the teachings of our craft, Masons may be negatively impacted by the avoidable decline.

I suggest for your consideration that the increased decline in membership is not the fundamental problem, but in reality decline is a symptom of the real problem that confronts our beloved Fraternity.

Brother Dudley Wright wrote back in 1924, "The strength of Freemasonry, like that of any other built on fraternal lines, lies not in its numerical power, but to the extent to which its tenets are put into practice. So we should have less concern about membership per se than about the cause for that decline."

Now let there be no mistake at all. Masonry is still the best fraternal order that the world has ever known or will ever know. Masonry is as strong as you are or as weak as I am. We have nothing to fear except complacency and egotism. The greatest, the wisest, the best men in every country have been brothers and still are and will continue to be, so long as we are able to learn and exemplify the great lessons taught in our ritual and as portrayed in our symbolism. The answer to our membership dilemma is not evasive, not compound, not complex. Nothing that requires more than perseverance and persistency to Masonic teachers. A simple adjective: persistence.

But as President Calvin Coolidge wrote, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common that unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. The world is full of educated derelicts."

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has always solved and will always solve the problems of the human race. So we as Masons must press on with persistence without fear of contradiction. I submit that men join Masonry for pure and beneficent purposes as we did with few exceptions. They believe as you do and as I do that Masonry stimulates our humanitarian interest in the world we inhabit, the nation in which we reside and the communities in which we dwell.

Masonry endows us with the desire to be serviceable to our fellow man, to soothe the unhappy, compassionate their miseries and restore peace to their troubled minds. Isn't that what Masonry tells us is the grand aim we have in view? What a magnificent philosophy. What an extraordinary ideology.

When one reaches this point in the analysis there is a terrible temptation to select a nice, comfortable solution to the problem that will avoid confrontation with reality. It's human nature. We generally say, as I have often said, it's not us, it's the culture in which we live. Be patient. What goes around comes around. Persevere. The pendulum is on it way back and times will change. You may be right, but what is the cost of being wrong?

Logic dictates we examine periods of Masonic decline to see if there is a common thread that will help us unravel the mystery of the apparent abated interest in the fraternity. Perhaps, a look at our history might be productive.

The anti-Masonic period, the first period Arthur Sharp made reference to in his article, was between 1826 and 1846. The Morgan incident began the anti-Masonic period, fired by well-meaning, but misguided church leaders. The decline was explained because of the Morgan incident, and solutions were found.

The second period that Right Worshipful Sharp makes reference to is 1929 to 1939, the Great Depression, when the country was in chaos and society was concerned with survival and not fraternalism. That decline, too, was explained and solutions were found. The third decline, the one we are in at the present time, started in 1959 and remains with us to the present time, without explanation so far and without solution.

There is a probable explanation for the decline that I would like to explore with you in our search for a solution.

Remember the famous proverb, "Beauty is as beauty does"? Fairly simplistic, isn't it? Let us ask ourselves what have we done in the last thirty years as an institution to carry out our beautiful Masonic mandate of brotherly love, relief and truth. Now, respectfully, I do not mean just between Masons. I mean between Masons and the society in which we live.

Think, my brothers. Have we as an institution been an emblem of industry such as is represented by our beloved craft? We are taught to be industrious and never sitting down contented while our fellow creatures around us are in want. Our fellow creatures around us are in want, and it is within our power to relieve them. Is the fraternity in good faith compliant with this teaching and has it developed that outreach program that satisfies the requirement of that important tenet? A threshold inquiry you may want to explore is whether as an institution we should be doing something dynamic and creative to translate our Masonic philosophy into Masonic reality.

Albert Pike of Boston, a Masonic philosopher, in 1859 wrote, "It is a Mason's part to protect the feeble against the strong and the defenseless against the rapacious craft, and to secure and comfort the poor and be the guardian under God of his innocent and helpless wards."

Now public relations experts tell us, and many of you are probably relations experts and will know more about this than I, they tell us that a product, in this case Masonry, does not exist unless it reaches the consumer. Brotherly love, relief and truth is the finest product in the world, but the consuming public has no way to know.that we are a major distributor. We have a saying in the judiciary that the law is not what the courts say it is; it is what the public believes that it is. We are, therefore, that which the consuming public believes us to be, and the only way they know us is by our deeds.

I know that here in Massachusetts we have a wonderful, outstanding Masonic Home at Charlton and we have an active blood program of which we are all justly proud and support. From the public perspective, however, these are not outreach programs and may not be the fulfillment of our Masonic commitment to all mankind. What do we as an institution in this jurisdiction or, better still, across jurisdictional lines, do to persuade the society in which we live that we are not self-centered or self-seeking, but that we do share a real concern and affection for our uninitiated neighbors?

Brother Edward Markham around 1890, an outstanding poet and a member of our Acadia Lodge in California, wrote, "He drew a circle that shut me out. Heretic rebel a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win. We drew a circle that took him in."

1 would be remiss if I did not make mention of the heroic work being done by our Grand Lodge's Masonic Awareness Committee. That is certainly a seed that has been planted in fertile soil and has always produced a rich harvest of good results and should be built upon. Mention should be made of our individual brothers who without credit exemplify on a daily basis the teachings of Masonry and who are pillars of their communities. The charitable efforts of individual Masons remain unparalleled in the lives of our neighbors and the lives of our friends. We give unsparingly of ourselves for the better good of mankind, but is that enough to satisfy the demanding attributes of our Fraternity?

I suggest for your consideration that, while exemplary, the individual approach does not suffice and there should be an institutional demonstration of the teachings of Masonry in order to bring new life into our relationships with the consuming public. Remember the old saying, if a large oak is felled in the forest and there is no one to hear, does it make a sound? Well, it really doesn't make much difference, does it?

I submit sound is irrelevant unless there are ears to hear. And brotherly love, relief and truth are irrelevant unless communicated to those in need.

Why should there be a compelling interest in joining our Fraternity if we are perceived as secret and silent, unless there is some outward demonstration by the craft to persuade the uninitiated that we are productive members of society and that we are as Masons committed to the public good.

We could perhaps take refuge in the work the Shrine has done in making its institution recognized worldwide as a fun loving public benefactor motivated by love for children of every race, creed and religion. The Shrine, of course, has won the hearts of the consuming public because it practices the tenet of our profession, of Blue Lodge Masonry. We all, of course, delight in the success because we are all Masons and take vicarious pleasure from helping the unfortunate. Has the Masonic Fraternity won the hearts of the same consuming public?

But, alas, it might well be that our problem is becoming theirs. Our membership decline impacts upon their ability to maintain their ranks and may result in a decline that is feared. This has alarming impact on the harmony of the Masonic family because there exists a small but vocal faction in Shrinedom that suggests non-Masons be allowed into membership to help in their charitable and important work. While I find myself critical of this vocal faction, I nonetheless recognize their visceral and sincere desire to continue their meaningful social outreach.

Let us this day accept the challenge and begin the exciting process of generating a new vitality to Masonry. Now this is best done, perhaps, by deciding first where we want to go and then charting a course that will take us there. Seneca Huns years ago said, "If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable." Might I suggest a Masonic course that will require a skilled helmsman, a courageous crew and a worthy ship.

But before we embark upon this venture, let us all enter into a pact. And that's important to do because we have ultraconservatives in Masonry and we should have them who are concerned about the term progress. But let us make a pact that we will do nothing that will offend against the tenets of our institution and we will maintain and preserve the universal, unalterable and unrepeatable fundamentals of Masonry that have existed from time immemorial.

With that in mind let me test the waters with an example of the type of outreach program that might find acceptance in your mind. I'm sure that the collective wisdom of all of you Brethren and of this Grand Lodge is far superior to mine in identifying an appropriate social adventure for consideration. But, again, with more courage than prudence, let me examine with you the following. There are many social problems that blight all of our communities and have a devastating impact on our youth. Some that come to mind are drugs, alcohol, child abuse, illiteracy, racial and ethnic prejudice and many others society has not been able to resolve.

Right Worshipful and Brother Oscar Guinn last evening at the Grand Master's Dinner made reference to what he and his family have been doing with young people in need and youngsters, children, babies who have had the effect of drugs at birth and the devastating consequences, again the heroic efforts that Reverend Guinn has put in.

Should we as an institution become involved in one or many of these youth destructive social problems? Well, 1 don't mean the easy way. I don't mean donating funds and let others do the work. I mean the old fashioned way. I mean hands-on involvement. The Pontius Pilate approach will not work because society in general and Masons in particular cannot without shame wash its hands of these blights and expect to come out clean.

We are told the battle against drugs, alcohol, child abuse, illiteracy, racial and ethnic prejudice will be won in the classroom. I guarantee you it will not be won in the courtroom. The scholars tell us that education is the answer to most of our social ills. If anyone in this country has the power and can develop a statewide educational road show to bring the healing message to every classroom in America it's the Masonic Fraternity. We have the organization, we have the expertise, we have the resources, and we will have the support of every Mason and non-Mason in this courageous, soul searching outreach.

There is an alternative. We can do nothing. Such a tragedy. With just a little bit of help there could be survivors. Many could be saved. The communities are circling the wagons, but alas there is no hope. I can't stop here with wagons being circled. I don't like tragedies.

This week I turned off a TV. program about the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. I'm entitled to literary license, and I want a happy ending, a Masonic ending. Here goes.

Wait. Can you hear that sound? It's over in the distance. But the sound is becoming clear. By God, I can hear it now. The clarion call of the bugle sounding attack. It's the cavalry, the Masonic cavalry, Brothers, with a mission. Their blue banners with gold star and compasses shining in the sun, armed with faith, hope and charity and willing to fight with freedom, fervency and zeal.

Isn't that a better ending than leaving those wagons circled in your communities? Our motives ought not to be the sole purpose of generating membership, although that will happen. Our reasons must be to strengthen the root. We are mindful, however, that the world loves a winner, and while winning isn't everything, losing is nothing. Or to put it in perspective, increased membership is a natural by-product of success.

Our Brother Roscoe Pound, dean of Harvard, said back in 1924, "Our strength and success lie in the depth and strength of the root. For the deeper and stronger the root, the more sturdy and flourishing will be the plant." Perhaps, we can take strength from the difficult outreach programs undertaken by our forebears.

Our Masonic history records when the British Royal Troops reached Lexington Common our friend and brother, Captain Parker, gave his famous command to the minutemen, "Stand your ground. Don't fire unless fired upon. But if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." Seventy militia faced six hundred trained British soldiers in the gray dawn of an April morning in 1775. Brother Amos Doolittle of New Haven wrote, "Too few to resist, too brave to flee." The British pressed on to Concord where there was fired the shot heard round the world, and the minutemen gave them ball for ball as the regulars retreated to Boston in confusion.

Dare we on this day in Boston charge that cannon that will fire a shot that is heard around the Masonic world? Do we here have the courage, leadership and commitment of our brothers at Lexington Green or the Concord River to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? Dare we immortalize our modern day Masonic pride and perpetuate it for our children and those who follow? We ought not try to live in the glory of our colonial brothers, but in our own glory of self-accomplishment for the better good of mankind without fear of failure. The thing that always stops us from going forward is the fear of failure. What a distraction.

Brother Theodore Roosevelt, our 25th President of the United States and a member of the craft, wrote some years ago, "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or default."

If I have offended any of your sensitivities, my brothers, by anything that I have said, then I have failed and I apologize. That was not my intent. But if by chance, by any chance, I kindled your interest in Masonic activism, then I have not tasted failure this day.

Bishop Fulton Sheehan, an orator of renown, once said, "There are three parts to a public address: faith, hope and charity. If the audience applauds when you get up to speak, that's an act of faith. If the audience applauds during your talk, that's an act of hope. If by some wild chance they applaud when you finish, that's an act of charity." Thank you.

Distinguished Brothers